Cable mounting clamp



l... -z-g" P 1962 L. v. HEBENSTREIT ETAL 3,054,587

CABLE MOUNTING CLAMP Filed July 18, 1957 o r9 5 Lester V. HebenstreitGeorge Lushetsky INVENTORS B5. .dTTORNEY 3,054,587 CABLE MUUNTILJG CLAMPLester V. Hebenstreit, Bloomfield, and George Lushetsky,

Garfield, N..l., assignors to Specialties Development Corporation,Belleville, Ni, a corporation of New Jersey Filed duly 18, 1957, Ser.No. 672,616 SClaims. (Cl.24874) The present invention relates tosupports of the clamping type for mounting fire detecting cable elementsin vehicles or craft operated at high speed and subject to vibrations.

Heretofore, it has been proposed to mount fire detecting cable elementsby devices generally comprising a base secured to a wall, a clamp hingedto the base, the base and the clamp having complementary portionsadapted to encircle the cable, and means for securing the clamp to thebase. In order to protect the cable against damage due to vibrations,the cable was passed through a cylindrical cushioning element formed ofsilicone rubber or similar material adapted to withstand hightemperature and the element was clamped between the base and clampportions. While a fire sought to be detected by the cable usually existsonly for a short duration before its extinguishment, it has been foundthat the heat thereof is sufficiently intense to destroy the cushioningelement. Consequently, after every fire, it was necessary to inspect allthe cushioning elements and to replace those which had been damaged ordestroyed by the fire. The cost of the labor for such maintenance was anobjectionable expense.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to overcome the priorditficulties by providing cable cushioning elements which will not bedamaged by an intense fire enduring for a short time.

Another object is to provide such elements which are easy to manufactureand are readily assembled on the cable mounting structure.

A further object is to accomplish the foregoing in a simple, practicaland economical manner.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon anunderstanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, orwill be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages notreferred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employmentof the invention in practice.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged plan view of a cable mounting clamp in accordancewith the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the clamp shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a further enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along theline 3-3 on FIG. 1 illustrating a cable mounted between the cushioningelements.

Referring to the drawing in detail, there is shown a cable mountingclamp which essentially comprises a base member 10, a clamping member11, hinge structure 12 at one end of the base and clamping members forfoldably connecting the same, cooperating means 13 adjacent the otherend of the base and clamping members for releasably securing the same toeach other, and cushioning means 14 mounted on the base and clampingmembers for clamping a cable C (FIG. 3) therebetween.

In order to provide for the reception and attachment of the cushioningmeans, the base and clamping members 3,054,587 Patented Sept. 18, 1962each are formed with a concave portion 15 facing the other and locatedbetween the hinge structure 12 and the securing means 13, preferablynear the hinge structure.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cushioning means 14 are tubular,resilient, metallic elements which have a generally semi-circular outerface 16 adapted to fit into a concave portion 15 and have alongitudinally extending recess 17 at the inner face thereof forreceiving and retaining the cable C, whereby the elements are generallykidney-shaped in cross-section. These elements may be formed from fiat,relatively thin, spring-like stainless steel strips in a manner toprovide an open seam or split 18 (FIG. 3) at about the middle of theouter face 16, whereby the elements act like a stiif spring adapted toyield sufiiciently to damp vibration between the cable and the clamp.

The elements 14 further are provided with means for attaching them tothe base and clamping members. Such means may be small tabs 19 at eachend thereof adjacent each side of the split 18 which are folded over theside edges of the base and clamping members, as shown in FIGS. 1 and2,'which may be formed with recesses 20 for receiving the tabs. Thesetabs do not interfere with the vibration damping action of thecushioning elements 14.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the presentinvention provides a simple, practical and economical cushioning elementfor cable clamps which can resist flame and high temperature and henceneed not be replaced after each fire.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangementof the parts herein, without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to beunderstood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrativeand not in any limiting sense.

We claim:

1. A cable mounting clamp comprising a base member adapted forsecurement to supporting structure, a clamping member hinged to saidbase, said members each having a concave portion facing the other, ahollow tubular, resilient, metallic cushioning element in each of saidportions having an outer convex surface conforming substantially to saidportions and seated therein and each having an inner concave surfacefacing the other providing a recess for receiving a cable and having anarcuate side connecting the inner and outer surfaces and means forsecuring said members to each other to cause said elements to clamp thecable therebetween.

2. A cable clamp according to claim 1, wherein said elements includemeans for securing the same to said members.

3. A cable clamp according to claim 2, wherein said elements securingmeans are tabs.

4. A cable clamp according to claim 3, wherein said elements are splitlongitudinally at their outer surface and are formed with a tab adjacenteach side of the split and at each end thereof folded over the sideedges of said concave portions of said members near the middle thereof.

5 A clamp for detachably supporting a wire or the like and formed in twosections including a base which can be secured to a fixed structure andwhich is provided with a raised platform, a cover section hinged at oneend thereof to the base, and a quick acting rotatable stud fastenercarried at the opposite end of the hinged cover and whose lower endpasses into the area below the platform but above the lower face of thebase when in fastened condition for retaining the cover section inclosed position, and fastening means on said raised platform cooperatingWith the stud to retain the stud in said fastened condition, eachsection having complementary curved portions adjacent the hinge line toreceive the wire, and resilient wire-supporting inserts positioned onthe inner faces of said curved portions, said inserts being formed ascurved beam-like elements in transverse section and engaging the wire(throughout their lengths with a compressive action.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSBronson Nov. 1, 1904 Shaffner May 29, 1906 Gandil Oct. 12, 1909 HaggerMay 29, 1928 Morehouse Apr. 2, 1946 Button Apr. 24, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTSGreat Britain Jan. 19, 1955

